238. Carnival Beauties: ELVIRA MANALO, 1927 Miss Palawan

PANALO SI MANALO.  Elvira Manalo, Miss Palawan of 1927, was just the 3rd Palawan beauty to represent her province at the Manila Carnival search for Miss Philippines.

1924 was a very good year for the province of Palawan and its people, for it was in this year that a beautiful Palaweña from Cuyo, captured the prestigious Manila Carnival Queen crown. Trinidad Fernandez was also different from the winning beauties she succeeded, for she was no high society girl—she belonged to the working class, and her victory gave new meaning and purpose to the beauty title.

 It was evident that hers was a tough act to follow; Trinidad was succeeded by her sister, Carmen Fernandez in 1926, but failed to advance in the finals. In 1927, another worthy candidate was found to represent the island province. Her name: Elvira Manalo of Puerto Princesa.

 Like most Carnival beauties, Elvira came from a prominent political clan. Her father, Anastacio Manalo served as Governor of the province from 1922-1925. Anastacio was a prolific builder; he constructed the present wharf of the capital city and, under his tenure, northern and southern roads leading to Iwahig Penal Colony were laid out. The Capitol Building near the wharf was also attributed to his administration.

 Elvira, however, failed to take home the crown that her compatriot had won two years before; an Escolarina co-ed representing Manila—Luisa Marasigan—emerged victorious. Thus, Trinidad Fernandez remains the only Palaweña winner in the 31-year history of the Carnival Queen contest.

 After the pageant, Elvira Manalo, became Mrs. Maslog.

187. Carnival Beauties: CATALINA "Katy" DE LA CRUZ, Candidate, 1924 Queen of the Manila Carnival

KATY DE LA CRUZ AT AGE 12. The future 'bodabil' superstar, not yet a teen, but already looking like a sophisticated vamp. She was already an established name in the local vaudeville circuit, performing in top-rated movie houses, when she was nominated as one of the Manila candidates for the 1924 Manila Carnival Queen search. Ca. 1919.

In 1924, a city search was conducted to select the Manila candidate to that year’s Queen of the Manila Carnival quest. A 17 year old petite and talented beauty nearly caused an upset by placing a strong second to the eventual winner Lolita Paterno. She was none other than Catalina de la Cruz, who, as Katy de la Cruz, would go on to greater fame on the world stage as a jazz and torch singer, honed by years of vaudeville experience in the Philippines.

She was born in Intramuros on 13 February 1907, although her roots are in Bulacan. Her father was a concierge at the Ayuntamiento Bldg., earning 30 pesos a week. At age 7, the streetsmart Catalina would go to the ferias around Intramuros and would steal the scene by singing songs while swiveling her hips to the delight of the crowd. People would throw her coins which she used to augment the meager family income.

An American theater owner, Harry Brown , spotted the tyke and arranged to have her sing during intermissions while the movie reels were being rewound for playing at his cine houses. Thus, Katy de la Cruz’s career was launched, at a salary of 1 peso a week. Her father’s objection, however, forced her to go back to school, which she would not finish anyway. The family relented and young Katy was back on track of a new and exciting career.

At 10, she performed at the Savoy, later renamed Clover Theater. At 13, she made the rounds of popular movie houses: Cine Rizal, Cine Amor, Cine Gloria, Lux, Palace, Rivoli. Her raspy, gravelly voice became her trademark, which she learned from slurring the lyrics heard from scratchy Victrola records.

At age 21, to the consternation of her family, Katy eloped with Jose Yoingco, a pianist. Despite parental protests, they stayed together till Jose’s death in 1955. By then, ‘bodabil’ was at its peak and Katy found herself a leading vaudeville star, rivaled only by Diana Toy. Her chorus girls included Patsy, Chichay and Chuchi.

She was still in her teens, when, in 1924, she was nominated to be one of the candidates for Manila’s representative to that year’s search for the Queen of the Manila Carnival. After all, she was quite a looker, and she was described thus by an American fan: “..5 footer, 105 buxom pounds…dark olive skin…hell’s ember eyes”…

Married women then could join the contest and she found herself in friendly competition with such familiar personalities like Vitang Escobar Cowper, protege of John C. Cowper, dean of Philippine variety show. For awhile, it looked like Vitang, a singer-dancer, would be the most serious threat to Katy’s candidacy—she actually led her in the first counting, but Katy overtook her in the 2nd counting. In the final tally, however, votes for the more affluent Lolita Paterno came pouring in—“golpe de Paterno” was how the surge of Paterno votes, over 12 million in all, was described by media men covering the event. Katy wound up in second place with over 11 million votes. Pacita Serra, Marcelina Lerma and Vitang Cowper completed the top 5.

In the national finals, Trinidad Fernandez of Palawan emerged as the 1924 Queen of the Manila Carnival from among contestants like Benita Reyes (Pampanga), Maring Barreto (Zambales) , Victoria Lopez (Iloilo) , Leonor Reyes (Bulacan), Corazon Ruth de Veyra (Leyte), Angela Martinez (Cavite), Amelia Paras (Marinduque), Victoria Ledesma (Negros Occidental) and Consuelo Lazo (Batangas).

But Katy couldn’t possibly care: her career was on an upswing. She found an adoring American audience who took to her and her songs like “Planting Rice”, “Balut”, “St. Louis Blues” and “One of These Days”. She sang at the Elks Club, the University Club, the Army-Navy Club. Her international stints included performances in Honolulu and San Francisco where she was described as a “combination of Sophie Tucker and Carmen Miranda”. She also captivated Las Vegas in 1961, as well as Melbourne, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore.

In between all these, Katy made movies and even won a Famas supporting actress award for her role in the 1953 movie, “Inspiration”. She retired in San Francisco with her four children. One daughter, Angie, teamed up with Nikki Ross and, as “Wing Duo” also made a mark in comedy-musicals in the 60s.


In 1989, the Cultural Center of the Philippines honored “Mommy Kate” with the staging of the musical “Katy”, based on her life. Maya Valdez portrayed her in the successful musical revue. She retired in the 1990s and passed away in California on 10 November 2004 at age 97. True, Katy de la Cruz was not fated to win the Queen of the Manila Carnival crown, but she earned a more enduring and iconic title—the Queen of Philippine Vaudeville.

158. Captions from a Fabled Time: THE 1924 MANILA CARNIVAL

From revelers’ eyes come these side stories of the goings-on of the fabulous 1924 Manila Carnival. They are taken from souvenir Carnival photo postcards, sent to friends and relatives and inscribed at the back with the sender’s personal observations of the various aspects of the fair, giving us a front seat view of the sidelights and highlights of the national event, in accounts that are chatty, intriguing and always, amusing.

************

1.

Ve aqui querido gasómetro la entrada de la ciudad de Momo (diseñada por el arquitecto Barretto). Por esa puerta ha pasado medio Manila y un buen promedio de gente de provincial. Es la boca en donde ha entrado muy cerca de cien mil pesitos. El carnival empezó el 16 de Febrero y termino el 24. Luigi


(I see here a gas meter* that I like at the entrance of the city of Mirth (designed by the architect Barreto). (That is why, through this gate, ) half of Manila have passed through and a good number of people from the provinces. It is the portal wherein very close to a hundred thousand bucks have entered. The carnival started on 16 February and will end on the 24th.)

2.

Oh gasometro ve aqui la mansion en donde aletea D.Cupido y donde mas de dos corazones palpitan alborozados. El baile, frenetico, ahora cadencioso y siempre Nuevo. Ahora estan de moda qui en Manila el Scandal Walk y el Ambassadors y con el tiempo el “Loco Walk”.


(Oh, I see a gas meter* here in the mansion where Mr. Cupid is flapping (his wings) and where more than two hearts are beating jubilantly. The dance is frenetic, now rhythmic and always new. The latest fashion now in Manila is the Scandal Walk and the Ambassadors and the beat of the “Loco Walk”.)

3.

Ilustre Suizo: Ve alli a la ilustre pañeja S.M. Trining y su consorte S. Jose Araneta (hermano de Salvador). Que pañeja mas monumental, verdad? Pero no te importe chico y no envidies el no haberte pordido encontrar entre nosotros durante estos dias de fiestas y Jolgorios, tu mission es escalar su Ph.D. y despues yo te prometo que sera’s el consorte de la prometida de tu corazon! Salud y exito, Luigi


(Distinguished Swiss:
This here, is the distinguished queen (Her Majesty) Trining and her consort , Mr. Jose Araneta (brother of Salvador). Isn’t it true that the queen looks more majestic? But do not worry, boy, and don’t be envious for not meeting us during these days of feast and merrymaking. Your mission is to attain your Ph.D., and then after, I promise that you will be the consort of the bride of your heart! Health and success, Luigi)

(NOTES: Luigi, a foreigner, sent these postcards to a Swiss friend. The Spanish word, "gasometro" literally means gas meter, but it may been used as a people counter, to determine the number of Carnival visitors. Most likely though, it is a euphemism for alcohol or spirits, sold freely at commercial booths, and which contributed to the "drunken revelries" that marked and marred the fair.)

4.

A tower of light situated at the center of the Carnival ground proclaiming to delight all on-lookers, Miss Alicia Rimando

5.

Maring, Ang Reyna sa Grand Stand ng ikatlong Parada. Nonaury

92. THE EXALTATION OF BEAUTY, IV

1922 ROYALTIES, Virginia Llamas Romulo and her two Roman princesses, lounging languidly for the camera.

As the Carnival Queens enjoyed immense following, they were sought after by corporate sponsors to endorse their products. As early as 1924, longtime Carnival sponsor Coty perfume issued advertising photo cards of the winner, Trinidad Fernandez, with a handwritten endorsement of “Les Parfums de COTY Paris--favored above all French perfumes throughout the world”. On it, Trinidad had written: “Los perfumes ‘Coty’ son mis preferidos—Trining Fernandez, 12 de Febrero de 1924”. (Coty perfumes are my preferences).

TRINIDAD FERNANDEZ, 1924 Manila carnival Queen, in an advertising trade card for COTY Perfumes, a cosprorate sponsor of the annual carnival event.

By the 1930s, when advertising in the Philippines became more sophisticated and Western in its approach, testimonial print ads featuring winners attesting to the product benefits of Coty were published in leading magazines nationwide-further proof of the pulling power of a national figure that was the Carnival Queen.

1939 QUEEN ILUMINADA, gets made up with COTY Cosmetics, a major sponsor of the Manila Carnival, in a full page endorsement ad.

Overall, the Queens of the Manila Carnival succeeded in redefining the traditional concept of beauty through their groundbreaking achievements, heightened social awareness, patriotism and moral uprightness, taking their being national role models to heart. The image of a Filipina beauty queen transformed as a powerful agent of change was concretized in the Carnival years with winners like Pura Villanueva (1908), an indefatigable suffragist and social worker, Paz Marquez (1912) who, by 1919 became a school founder after years of being an acclaimed writer in English, Trinidad Fernandez (1924) , a patroness of the arts and Trinidad de Leon (1920) who went on to become a First Lady after the election of his husband Manuel Roxas as president of the Philippines.

(Reference: Hazel McFerson. Mixed Blessing: The Impact of the American Colonial Experience on Politics and Society in the Philippines (Contributions in Comparative Colonial Studies): 2001)

45. 1924, Queen of the Manila Carnival, TRINIDAD RODRIGUEZ FERNANDEZ

1924 QUEEN OF THE MANILA CARNIVAL. Trinidad Fernandez y Rodriguez of Cuyo, Palawan, was a popular winner identified with the working class. She became a distinguished diplomat in later life.

One of the most photographed beauties of her time was the queen-elect of the 1924 Manila Carnival, Trinidad Fernandez y Rodriguez. Much attention was focused on this accomplished beauty because she was one of those rare queens who triumphed over the more well-heeled candidates from the key cities of Luzon and the Visayas. Thus, when she won, she was not only the first winner from that province, but she was also the first to identify with the working class.

Trining’s father was Clemente “Minting” Fernandez, one of two sons (the other being Carlos) of Jose Ma. Fernandez, a Spanish officer originally from Valencia. Assigned to Sta. Rita, Pampanga, Jose met and married a local lass with the surname Lasanga. He took her to Cuyo, the former capital of Palawan—together with her younger sister. Clemente and Carlos, however, were children of the first marriage. Clemente practically grew up in Palawan where he met and married Vicenta Rodriguez. It was in this far off island of Cuyo, located north of Sulu Sea that Trining first saw the light of day on 28 March 1899. Family stories tell that she was actually born in the Cuyo Church during a Moro raid.

When the 1924 Manila Carnival unfolded, Trinidad was already working for the Department of Public Welfare organizing puericulture and health centers , women’s associations and nursery classes throughout the country. To prepare her for this government career, she had gone as a pensionado to the Philippine Normal School, and then to the University of the Philippines where she picked a degree in Liberal Arts. She was a popular campus figure, noted for her beauty, personality and leadership qualities. It also helped that her mother was an indefatigable champion of charity work back home in Cuyo. Her father, too, had risen to become the 1st Cuyono municipal president and the first Palaweño to pass the Civil Service Examinations, so it can be said that early on, Trining developed a sense of awareness for social issues and civic concerns.

BACHELOR'S PICK. Queen Trining was the candidate of choice by the powerful Bachelor's Club.

The members of the influential Bachelors’ Club had their eyes on Trinidad even before the Philippine Carnival Association opened the nomination for the queenship of the annual prestigious event. But the while her candidacy was launched by the elite club, it was Trinidad’s ties with the working class and the government sector that, she feels, decided the votes in her favor.

QUEEN TRINING II, In one of her official portrait as the 1924 Manila Carnival Queen.

Trinidad’s triumph was met with resounding approval and was a big cause for celebration. Her grand coronation, unlike the past years, was not themed; she opted to wear a simple, white Filipino terno, matched with a long, flowing velvet cape. Her jewel-encrusted crown was similar to the one worn by Carmen Prieto three years before, and after her reign was over, it was donated to the Cuyo Church.

1924 CORTE DE HONOR. With Jose Araneta standing as his King Consort, Queen Trining is flanked by her princesses and escorts in this official sitting.

By her side was her handsome King Consort, Jose Araneta, and attending her was the 1924 royal court: Magdalena del Rosario, Consuelo Francia, Felising Anido, Juling Montenegro, Nena Calvo, Lourdes Singian with their escorts Salvador Araneta, Pepe Limjap, Victorino Abrera, Pendong Tuason, David Fernandez Lavadia and Ito Kahn.

QUEEN TRINING II AND CONSORT. Manila Carnival 1924.

But more unforgettable than that evening was the wedding of Trinidad to her beau a year later. Benito Legarda, a special friend from way back her U.P. days and a chemist, became her husband and father of threechildren: Benito Jr., Filomena and Carmen. Her involvement with socio-civic work seemed to have intensified after her marriage, working tirelessly for a number of institutions like the Girls Scouts, Community Chest, Catholic Women's League, Philippine Red Cross, Civic Assembly of Women and the National Federation of Women’s Clubs, where she was responsible for the post-war rehabilitation of its damaged headquarters.


She was also sent as a Philippine representative to important conventions abroad, from the Rotary International, UNESCO meetings to conferences on social work. She was a much sought after public speaker as well.

Her crowning glory came in 1958 when she was appointed as the first Filipino woman ambassador and chief of mission to Saigon and also minister plenipotentiary to Laos and Cambodia, accredited to look after the interest of Filipinos in those countries. She was, in fact, the first woman in Southeast Asia to hold a post as an ambassador, which she held until the 1980s. It is no wonder then that she was named as one of the 13 outstanding women leaders of Asia for her barrier-breaking achievements.

GRACING LUNETA. The Queen, attending a Carnival festivity at the Luneta.

As an avid art lover, she was one of the founders of the Manila Symphony Society from 1933 to 1958, which helped organized the Manila Symphony Orchestra. For this pioneering achievement, Trinidad is often cited as the “Mother of the Symphony Movement in the Philippines”. Trinidad’s beloved Ben died in 1973, and, after a hip injury in 1979, she retreated to her stately garden residence, “Ang Gubat” (The Forest), surrounded by her loving family. A notable descendant today is Atty. Katrina Legarda.

(Many thanks to Mr. Greg Melendres of Houston and Mr. Ron Fernandez of Dallas--and a descendant of Trinidad Fernandez-Legarda for the additional information on Trinida's family background).